Introduction: Given the growing rate of accidents and disasters in the world, preparing nurses as the main group responding to these events is crucial; however, a review of literature suggests no comprehensive and theoretical or practical definitions for this concept in nursing, which has been often misunderstood and used as an alternative to other similar concepts.

Objective: The present study was conducted to analyze the concept and provide a practical definition for emergency and disaster preparedness in nurses.

Materialsand Methods: The eight-step Walker and Avant’s approach was used to clarify the concept of disaster preparedness in nurses. A total of 40 articles selected on the subject through an extensive review of literature up to 2013 were analyzed and the relevant definitions, applications, attributes, antecedents, consequences and empirical referents were extracted.

Results: According to the analysis conducted, the concept attributes include gaining the disaster knowledge and management capability, response planning strategies, response behavior exercises and the evaluation of the knowledge level and the response program content. Improved knowledge and skills, professional accountability, more comprehensive programs and more accurate response behaviors were found to be the outcomes of disaster preparedness in nurses.